3rd Week in Lent, Friday – 12th March 2021 – Mk 12,28-34
Approval of Mental Acumen
While the scribe was attempting to judge Jesus, he was being judged by Jesus. In view of the scribe’s unprejudiced judgement, his spiritual insight, and his frank approval of Jesus’ answer, Jesus commends that he is “not far from the kingdom of God.” By discussing the law, the scribe falls within a few steps of Jesus. He was to some extent qualified for the kingdom through intellectual sincerity, moral integrity and ceremonial faithfulness. Certainly he had grasped “love” as the fundamental principle of the kingdom. The scribe understands Jesus’ teaching, he knows the way into the kingdom, and now all that he must do is to follow the one in whose presence he stands. True subjects of the kingdom do not try to deceive God, their fellow men, or themselves with external practices of religion. Realizing that God looks on the heart, they go to Him for cleansing from sin and for power to live in a manner pleasing to Him. People close to the kingdom have the courage to stand up for what is true even if they have some friends and make some new enemies.
